Although we relate the term “Affiliate Marketing” with the internet, affiliate marketing has been around longer than the worldwide web. When we think of affiliate marketing now, we might think of someone clicking a link and the publisher earning a commission on the sale. But it happens in the real world too – your plumber gives you a discount for referring them to a new customer; your hairdresser gives you money off your next trim when you refer a friend. In these cases, the commission comes in the form of their discount.
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is when someone recommends a product or service and then gets a commission on the new business generated because of their recommendation.
We refer to the “someone” as an affiliate, partner or publisher. The affiliate drives traffic to the product or service by sharing a link containing tracking codes on their blog, newsletter, social media, etc. If you’ve ever watched a YouTuber tell you to use the link in their video’s description to purchase something they recommend, this is why. Affiliate marketing is a common way for people to generate passive income and is a mutually beneficial marketing activity.
The tracking links affiliates share use cookies. Cookies are small pieces of data stored on the web browser of the person clicking the link. When a person visits a website, the cookie acts as an identification card that can track when someone purchases a product.
The Four Parties Engaged in Affiliate Marketing
The Affiliate/Partner or Publisher – The person or business who shares the link on their website, blog or social media accounts. In this case, you!
The Product Buyer – Anyone who clicks a tracking link and makes a purchase on the advertiser’s website. In the case of us here at Smile, anyone who clicks your link to buy TextExpander or PDFpen.
The Advertiser/Merchant – The business selling the product or service. In this case, Smile.
The Affiliate Program or Affiliate Network – The middleman between the
Advertiser and the Affiliate. This program handles all communications and processes sales and commissions. In this case, ShareASale.
Why Should I Join an Affiliate Program?
Joining an affiliate marketing program is appealing because it offers the chance to sell products online with no up-front investment, meaning you can make money right away.
As a Smile Partner, you only need to focus on discussing the products with your audience in the way that best suits them. If they purchase, you’ll enjoy generous commissions on each sale. The Smile Partner program is an attractive option thanks to the quality of the products (people really love our software!) and the generous commission. Plus, we’ll provide you with ready-to-publish banners and text links to make promoting TextExpander and PDFpen easier.
How Can I Get Started With Affiliate Marketing?
The golden rule of affiliate marketing is that you focus on products you have past personal experience with. Find a product or services that interests you and select a program. If you are just starting out, pick 2-3 products to promote and become an expert on those products. Knowing them well, and liking them, helps you explain why they are useful to your audience.
By joining the Smile Affiliate program, you will get access to both TextExpander and PDPpen. Here’s a quick overview of what they do:
TextExpander:
TextExpander lets you instantly insert snippets of text from a repository of emails, boilerplate and other content, as you type – using a quick search or abbreviation. All your snippets work across all and apps you use, and on all your devices, keeping you productive at work, at home, and on the road. Plus, messaging, signatures, and descriptions can be shared across teams and across a company.
PDFpen:
PDFpen is a powerful PDF editor for Mac, with an iPad and iPhone app for those on the go. Whether you’re on the road or at your desk, whether you need advanced PDF editing features or just need to sign and email back a contract, the PDFpen family of tools has you covered. From signing and filling forms to correcting typos, OCRing scans and redacting sensitive info, PDFpen makes editing PDFs a breeze.
Our software is made for – and loved by! – busy people who want to boost their productivity.
How Do Affiliates Benefit?
As a Smile Partner, you’ll receive a generous 20% commission on every sale that comes from your dedicated link, so you can make money from your website, blog and social media following.
- Receive a generous 20% commission on products purchased through your link
- Get access to a selection of ready-to-publish banners and text links to make promoting TextExpander and PDFpen easy
- Exclusive monthly discounts, annual offers and bundle offers
We offer regular and exclusive promotions with encouraging incentives and we’ll keep you up to date on new product releases and launches, so you’re always in the loop. With access to daily reporting, you’ll better understand what works so you can enhance your promotional efforts.
Where Do I Sign Up?
We can’t wait to have you on board as a Smile Affiliate! if you have any questions, ideas for a promotion, or want to know more about our other promotions, get in touch with Smile’s Partnership Manager (She’s very nice, talk to her!)
